


Friends Can Spoon Too!

by TexMex007



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Brotp, Emotional Support, Gen, Just Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 11:13:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18467794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TexMex007/pseuds/TexMex007
Summary: Jim needs his help, and Leonard, as the amazing friend he is, is there for him no matter what.





	Friends Can Spoon Too!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TransScribe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TransScribe/gifts).



            The infirmary, for once, felt oddly empty The lone resident, Leonard, sat slouched over a PADD, muttering to himself as he filled out the paperwork from yesterday’s fiasco starring non other than Jim and a newly discovered plant on the class M planet Spock had charted out. Apparently, Jim was allergic to the flower, which shouldn’t have been all _that_ surprising in retrospect. After stabbing his friend with a hypo, Leonard wanted nothing more than to burn the dang weed. Luckily for the plant, Sulu got to it first.

             He sighed heavily, encouraged by the quiet of the room to drop his guard and relax a little. A notification pierced through the calm, and in between one breath and the next all the work he’d put into relaxing vanished and he opened the message.

             “I need you in my Quarters ASAP.”

                                                                -Jim

             Without a second thought, Leonard shot up out of his chair and shoved a hypo into his pocket before dashing over to his friend in need, a mild sense of panic brewing in the back of his mind as he noted the late hour. He knocked quietly at the door, before glancing over at Spock’s quarters. The man had been awfully quiet, even withdrawn after the stunt with the flower, and Leonard could only hope that the elf hadn’t somehow logic’d himself into feeling guilty. Maybe he’d arrange a visit soon.

             Jim’s door opened swiftly and with a soft ‘ _woosh_ ’ and he stepped inside. Jim sat on his bed, his covers pooling around his lap as he gave an awkward wave and sheepish grin that Leonard overlooked as he hurried over brandishing his hypo. At the sight of the thing, Jim let out a startled cry and recoiled, stopping Leonard in his tracks.

                “I don’t need that!” Jim cried, pulling his blanket up around his neck, “Jeez Bones, sometimes I think you were born with one in your hand!”

                 Leonard gripped the hypo tighter in retaliation, “Well, what in Sam’s hill did you message me at 3 in the mornin’ for?” he growled, “a tea party?”

                 Jim’s eyes lit up at that. “We could have a tea-”

                “What did you call me in for?” Leonard interjected gruffly, cutting him off with a waved hand as he perched on the edge of his bed. He watched, curious, as the strangest thing happened.

                Jim hesitated.

                Leonard watched emotions flicker across his best friend’s face. Sadness, frustration, fatigue, and most concerning, _fear_ , swirled around in those ocean eyes and he knew Jim was drowning in them.

                “Hey,” Leonard scooted closer, tone melting into a softer one, the same tone he’d give Joanna after she had a nightmare. “What’s wrong, Jim?”

                Jim sighed defeatedly, “I can’t sleep.”

                “D’you want me to give you a sleep aid?”

                “No!” Jim interjected fiercely, before catching himself. He took another deep breath, dark eyebrows knitted together, “no.. I.. um..”

                “Yeah?”

                 Jim opened his mouth but no words came out. He pursed his lips in agitation and startled again as Leonard laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, catching the most haunted look in his eyes as he focused on him. Then, Leonard asked him a simple question.

                “What do you need?”

                “Can you stay?” Jim inquired, meeting his entreating, concerned gaze with ears red in what Leonard could only interpret as shame. Poor boy just didn’t want to be alone.

                “Yeah man, of course.” Leonard replied, pushing himself up to crash on the couch, but Jim’s hand on his arm stopped him.

                “Can you sleep here with me?” Jim’s voice had become little more than a pleading whisper.

                Leonard wanted to say ‘no’, that it was a little weird to him for two grown men to platonically share a bed, but Jim’s eyes told him that he truly needed this, and again he was reminded of his little girl whenever she wanted comfort and Leonard didn’t like the sadness and lingering fear on his best friend’s face.

                “Alright, fine, move over kid.” He huffed, slipping under the covers and nestling in. As he got comfortable lying on his back, he added ruefully, “But people are gon’ talk.”

                Jim wrapped his arm around his buddy and sighed contentedly before resting his head on Leonard’s chest, “To be fair, they do little else.” He mumbled, already starting to drift off.

                “This ain’t weird to you?” Leonard asked after a beat. He rested his arm on the latter’s shoulder after a mental debate on where to put it.

                “Nah,” Jim yawned, “friends can spoon, that’s chill.”

                Leonard closed his eyes. He had to admit, having a warm body snuggled up to him did feel pretty dang nice. He yawned too, before patting Jim’s shoulder.

                “G’night Kid.”

                “’Night. Oh, and Bones?”

                “Yeah?”

                “Thanks.”

                Leonard smiled softly,

                 “Anytime.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it you Space Wombat of Cosmic Wonder and Love. <3


End file.
